Running my hands gently up Dean's sides, I marvel at the changes in my life. Just three years ago, I didn't even know who Dean Bendis was and now, I'm all but married to him.

With a snort, Dean wiggles until he's settled more fully on top of me. "That tickles," he mumbles against my neck.

I trail the tips of my fingers up his spine. "I'm starving."

"Me too." He rolls to the side. "Guess we should get dressed and go to a bar."

"Yeah, I guess…" I let my voice trail off, stretching as sensuously as I can. Dean laughs at my antics and pulls me closer. I roll on top of him, straddling his hips with his erection nestled between my ass cheeks. "But that's not all I'm hungry for."

"We really should go. We can do this later."

"Not sure I can wait." I shake my head and reach back to grasp his cock so I can impale myself on it. I hiss a bit at the burn and once fully seated, I lean forward, resting on my forearms so I can cup his head in my hands. Dean pulls me down to suck on my tongue and I once again revel in the fact that I can kiss him for as long as I want without needing to breathe. Eventually I pull back anyway because I love watching his face when he fucks me.

My hunger has my fangs extending and I curl my lip in a sneer when I see that his eyes are vague with his arousal. "Now I understand," he murmurs, threading the fingers of one hand in my hair before using his thumb to lift my lip higher so he can run one finger from the other hand down a fang from gum to tip. "Your fascination with my fangs." He raises his gaze to mine. "I get it now."

Raising up to brace myself on my fists, I swirl my hips in a circle. With a smirk, he grabs my hips and slams up into me causing my eyes to roll back in my head. "God, Dean," I groan. Despite how amazing it feels, I find that my hunger is making it difficult to concentrate on his dick sliding in and out of my ass.

He must be able to sense my distraction through the Bond because he lets go of one hip to place his wrist to my mouth and say, "Just a quick snack, then we can finish and go have dinner."

I sink my fangs into his wrist, holding it in place with one hand wrapped around his elbow and the other around his wrist, just below his hand, and repeat how I fed from his neck earlier. Once again, the taste of his blood is like ambrosia to me and has my eyes rolling back in my head and this time I know I moan long and low as the Bond flares white hot behind my eyelids. Dean doesn't even slow his frenzied fucking of my ass; if anything, he speeds up, grunting and groaning as I feed and get my ass fucked hard.

All too soon, he pulls his wrist away, shushing me when I whimper and try to hold on a bit longer. "You've had enough, for now." Rolling us so that he's on top, he roughly turns my chin, baring my neck. "Now it's my turn," he snarls just before sinking his fangs into my neck.

With a strangled howl, I come all over our chests, my pleasure being prolonged by his cock empting itself into my ass.

He collapses on top of me and we obviously doze off again because when I stir at him pulling out, it's evident that quite some time has passed. "Now, we really must go. You need to learn how to feed." He rolls off me, and the bed, leaving me lying there sprawled on my back with one leg draped over the edge.

I prop myself up on my elbows and watch as he pulls his jeans up his long lean legs and over that glorious butt. He leaves them undone and walks to the closet. "Why do I need to learn to feed? I think I do pretty well for a Newborn."

He looks over his shoulder at me. "Feeding from me is different from feeding from a Human."

"Yeah, so?" I swing my left leg, scuffing my toes against the hardwood floor.

"You want to drink cloned blood forever? Because that's your only other option." I rise up to lean back on my hands and watch him pull a thermal undershirt over his head, pulling the sleeves up to his elbows. "Really, Carter. This needs to be done. Now." He tosses me a pair of jeans.

They land on my face, obstructing my view for just a moment. The thought of drinking that swill they call cloned blood for the rest of my existence is just disgusting and has me sitting all the way up so that they fall into my lap. "Of course I don't. That shit is nasty as all get out." Standing from the bed, I pull on my jeans, also leaving the fly undone until I can put on a shirt.

"Then get dressed." He tosses me a shirt that I snatch out of the air and then pull on, tucking the tails into my jeans and doing up the fly.

We don't say anything else as we put on socks and shoes before heading to the garage and climbing into Dean's truck and heading out to find me my first ever Donor.

Dean parks in a free lot and we walk a couple of blocks to a club that defies my expectations of what a Vampire club should look like. There's a line snaking down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. Dean doesn't even slow, just enters the open door behind the bouncer.

Once inside, Dean ignores the Donors, and several Vampires, trying to catch our attention and heads for a hallway lined with peepshow booths. Only difference is that you actually get more than a 'peep' because there are no curtains in the windows. I really want to ask what the different colored lights mean but get the feeling I should wait until we're alone. He stops in front of a room at the end on our right and taps on the glass with a knuckle, startling the black haired girl within into dropping her copy of Anna Karenina as well as jumping to her feet before throwing open the door and hurtling herself into Dean's arms and sucking his tongue into her mouth.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I lean one shoulder against the wall and wait for Dean to remember I'm standing there, watching him get molested by this tiny slip of a woman.

After nearly a minute it becomes apparent he's not going to remember, so I clear my throat. Dean wraps his hands around her wrists and slowly pulls her arms from around his neck. She whimpers low in her throat but otherwise doesn't fight his ending the kiss.

Dean sets her away from him and she pouts up at him. "You need to either come to me more often, or stop coming at all."

"Why?" This whole Bond thing is taking a lot of getting used to as I can feel just how confused Dean is over her pronouncement.

"Because no one uses me for months after you stop by."

"I don't understand. Surely they're not scared I'll get jealous."

She shakes her head and gives a tiny humorless chuckle. "I don't think that's the problem. I've heard some people saying that since you visit Diners so rarely, they don't want your favorites to be unavailable for you."

"Okay," Dean drawls. "That explains why they're not feeding." He tilts his head to the side. "That is all they're doing, right?"

The corners of her mouth turn down in a frown. "If only," she grumbles. "No one has used me for anything in the four months since you were last here."

Dean rubs one hand over his scalp. "So you haven't been paid in four months!?"

"No," she stresses the word like one would with someone who's a little slow on the uptake. "The bar pays us regardless but it's not nearly as much as what we get from our Patrons."

Dean sighs and shoves one hand in his right front pocket, pulling out a wad of cash. "Here." He takes her hand and curls her fingers over the money.

"Dean! I can't take this!" She tries to shove it back at him but he refuses to take it back.

"You need it."

Her sigh is full of exasperation. "I don't need your assistance, Dean. I live well below my means. Learned that lesson the hard way the first time you disappeared for several months."

"Damnit, Tracy! Why didn't you ever say something?"

She crosses her arms over her chest and settles her weight on one foot. "Seriously, Dean? You're just a Patron."

"Not about me possibly helping you financially, but about you losing Patrons after I've visited."

"Oh." She lowers her head to stare at the floor. "I never thought about it."

He uses one knuckle to raise her chin so he can look her in the eye. "I've always wondered why you work here. It's obvious you're smart enough to work elsewhere."

"Maybe so, but I'd never get anywhere near the same pay."

I feel Dean's amusement over her honest answer and watch as the corner of his mouth twitches. "As long as your self-esteem doesn't suffer."

She tosses her head back, flipping her hair back over her shoulder. "Never. I do this for the pay, and the fact that I can do pretty much what I want in-between Patrons."

Dean heaves a deep breath, squaring his shoulders and throwing his hands up in surrender. "Fine. I'll take the damn money back. Just know," he wags a finger in her face, "if you change your mind, all you have to do is call."

"Thank you." She stands on tip-toe to kiss him again, but I put my hand in the way of her questing lips. She steps back and turns to blink at me.

Dean finally remembers why we're here and introduces us. "Tracy Meyer, this is Carter Shaw. Carter, Tracy."

Tracy's face brightens upon hearing my name. "Is he…?" She doesn't finish the question, just turns to look at Dean, her hands clasped under her chin.

He ducks his head, his recent feeding allowing color to stain his cheeks in a light blush. "Yeah, that's him."

"Oh, Dean," she gushes. "He's adorable!"

Dean chokes on his laughter. "Not sure that's the word I'd use, but okay, yeah, he is kinda adorable."

She smacks him on the arm. "Why'd you wait so long to bring him in?"

"He wasn't ready until two days ago."

"Actually it was more like six days ago," I interject.

"Right. Almost forgot about the son of a bitch that almost ruined it all."

Tracy's head swivels back and forth between us like she's at a tennis match. "So, I'll be his first?"

"Yep." Dean rocks back on his heels, his hands tucked into his front pockets, looking overly pleased with himself.

"Ooh," she squeals, clapping her hands and bouncing in a very familiar way.

"You don't happen to have a sister who lives in DC, do you?"

She tilts her head, her brows pulled down in a frown of confusion. "No. I'm an only child, why?"

With a shrug, I shake my head and answer, "You just remind me of someone I met there recently."

"Who?" Dean demands.

"Abby Sciuto."

I hope I get used to feeling Dean's emotions as if they're my own soon because I'm beginning to feel a migraine coming on. "Gibbs' pet Goth?"

"You know her?"

Dean rolls his eyes. "Seriously, Carter. I may not be a member of the clan, but I do know the main players and their people."

"Of course. She did act like she knew you." I'm surprised at the jealousy I feel rising within me.

The look on Dean's face is not something I can easily identify. "For the record, I have never fed from or fucked her." There's a hint of laughter in his voice.

Of course. The whole emotion thing goes both ways. Gonna have to remember that. "Sorry." Now I feel like a heel.

The Bond is flooded with love and amusement and both are confirmed with a quick peek at Dean's face. Awkward moment is awkward.

"Smooth," Tracy observes with a barely-contained eye roll. "Give me a sec to grab you some food and we'll head to one of the rooms." She turns to walk away but then spins back. "Any preferences?"

"Female, O Positive," Dean replies, smacking her on the butt as she passes.

She tries to jump out of the way and gives a tiny squeal. "Any preference on hair color, age, body type?"

"Have you ever met me?"

"Right, sorry." They both confirm what I already knew about Dean; his only preference is that his bed partner either currently has a pulse or is now a Vampire. A slut, in other words.

Tracy disappears down another hallway for a few minutes, leaving Dean and I staring at each other. We both lunge forward at the same time but before we can get too involved in searching for each other's tonsils, Tracy returns with a pretty twenty-something brunette in tow.

"This is Amber. Amber, this is Dean and his Mate Carter. Carter was Turned just a couple of days ago and tonight's going to be his first feeding. So you're for Dean while I show Carter how it's done. Okay?"

Amber seems a bit out of place as well as extremely nervous. Ever the cop, Dean asks, "How old are you, Amber?"

"I'm twenty-one, Sir," Amber answers in a very soft voice.

"Uh-huh." I'm with Dean. She may look over twenty but her behavior says she's not.

"This club only hires Donors twenty-one and older. Trust me, Dean. She's been completely vetted," Tracy interjects a bit snippily.

Dean puts his hands up, palms out. "Alright. I believe you." He steps over to Amber and takes her hand before kissing the back of it. "Nice to meet you, Amber. How many times have you been fed from?"

"Several." Poor Amber. She's so nervous about feeding Dean that she's shaking.

"Uh-uh. That's not a number." Dean is trying to put her at ease but I think it's having the opposite effect.

Amber licks her lips. "Oh, uh, you'll be the sixth time."

"So, you've been doing this about a year, then?"

"Yes."

"Uh-uh." Dean chews on his lower lip for a second. "So, you weren't twenty-one when you were hired, were you?"

Amber and Tracy share a look, then Amber answers, "Actually, I'll be twenty-two in a few days and my hire date is a few days after that."

"You'll have to forgive my Mate," I jump in. "We're cops and he's been a Vampire a long time."

Dean cuts his eyes at me and I feel something from his end of the Bond that I can't quite identify but I take it to mean I've almost overstepped myself. I guess there's a whole new type of etiquette I'm going to have to learn and master. So I shut my mouth and give Dean a somewhat rueful nod as Dean informs the girls, "And I tend to get a bit protective of my Donors."

"Yeah, I've heard that about you, Sir." Amber's nerves seem to be calming down.

"I have a reputation, huh?" Dean doesn't seem to like hearing that.

"Of course you do," Tracy says, smacking him lightly on the arm. "Now, how about we take this somewhere private?"

Dean dips his head and begins to escort Amber down the hall, with Tracy and me following. At the end of the hall, Dean stops and holds open a door. Amber and Tracy enter first and when I go to step through the door, Dean pinches my ass before leaning down and whispering in my ear, "Remember, this ass belongs to me." As if I could forget.

I suddenly find myself in a sappy mood and realize that my soul has yearned for his for my entire life and I've never been as content as I am at this moment, knowing that from now until the end of time, I won't ever be alone again.

Entering the room, I'm struck with a sudden case of nerves. Tracy seems to pick up on it and approaches where I'm standing and takes my face in her hands so she can pull me down and seal her mouth to mine.

Instinct takes over and I wrap my hands around her waist before walking her backward toward the bed. It's been over a year since I've been with anyone other than Dean. I keep in mind that not only is she female but she's Human and so I keep the pressure of my lips just hard enough to telegraph my need but light enough to not hurt her.

My fingers fumble with the two measly little buttons charged with the herculean task of keeping her ample breasts clothed. While I'm doing that, she runs her hands down my neck, across my shoulders, down my back and around to the front in order pop the button on my fly and slowly draw the zipper down so she can reach inside and tug my erect dick out from where it's tucked into my right pants leg. I'm amazed at how hot her hand is until I remember that I no longer have a core temp so of course her hand is blistering on my sensitive cock.

My train of thought is derailed when her other hand finds my balls and begins rolling them gently in their sack. Just like some women like having their breasts played with, I like having my balls played with. Dean has this thing he does with his tongue while sucking them…I stop that thought in its tracks because it makes me feel like I'm cheating on him.

I kiss my way down her throat so I can nibble on her clavicle, taking care to not bite down. Now's not the time to begin feeding. We'll get there soon enough.

She swirls her thumb over the head of my dick, smearing the drop of precome found there. I'm so into the feeling of her hands on me that I'm a bit startled at the surge of arousal I feel coming from Dean. I had totally forgotten he was in the room.

Lifting my head I search out Dean, finding him lounging in a chair next to the bed with Amber sitting on his lap. Since they're both staring at where I'm standing with Tracy in my arms, I'm guessing he hasn't yet started seducing her. It's almost as if he's waiting for me to finish before he feeds.

Dean sneers at me, showing his fangs before dipping his head and licking at Amber's neck. Amber shivers with a barely audible groan, her head dropping back to rest on Dean's shoulder, her eyes closing slowly.

While I watch, Dean places his hands on her thighs, holding them in place while he spreads his legs, showing me that she's not wearing any panties under her tiny little mini skirt. Slowly, Dean runs his hands up the inside of her legs until he gets to her pussy where he parts her lips and flicks her clit with the middle finger of his right hand before dragging that finger down to tease her opening causing Amber's hips to stutter and her breath to catch in her throat.

With one raised eyebrow, he silently tells me to get back to seducing my dinner. With a smirk, I return my attention to the beautiful woman in my arms.

My fingers find the zipper on the back of her skirt and I lower it as slowly as she lowered mine earlier, then I hook my thumbs between the silky skin of her hips and the waist of her skirt and panties and push them down her legs to the floor.

Leaving her to take care of her knee high platform boots, I strip out of my clothes, never taking my eyes off where she's arranged herself on her back on the bed; her legs spread, one knee bent with her foot flat on the mattress and her arms over her head, arching her back which causes my attention to be snagged by her ample breasts.

Licking my lips, I climb on the bed and crawl up between her legs, pushing them wider with my shoulders and place a kiss to her left inner thigh, making a mental note to come back in a couple of months so I can feed from the artery I see throbbing where I kissed her. Her taste explodes over my tongue when I tease her with the tip. She sighs and lets her legs fall open even wider. Moving slowly, I kiss a path up her body, dipping my tongue into her belly button and sucking on each nipple in turn, before reaching the spot on her neck I've decided to feed from.

Placing my mouth over her carotid, I enter her at the exact same moment I push my fangs through her skin. Pulling my fangs back, I allow her heart to pump the blood into my mouth, swallowing when I have a mouthful. I discover I can't concentrate on feeding and fucking at the same time, so decide to feed first. I can fuck her all night, once I've had my fill. Her blood is bitter sweet with a sharp metallic taste and it goes straight to my head, leaving me feeling slightly lightheaded, almost like when I would drink too much alcohol when I was Human.

Eventually, I get the feeling I've had enough so I lick the wounds closed and am a bit amazed that it takes more than one pass to fully close. Once there's no danger of her bleeding, and my hunger is temporarily satisfied, I turn my attention to fucking her pretty little brains out. I brace myself on my forearms and lazily thrust in and out, reminding myself that there's not a prostate for me to try and hit. It's just tight, wet, and indescribably hot lady-flesh gripping me like a glove.

Burying my fingers in her hair, I nibble my way along her jaw, up to one ear and across her cheek to lick my way into her mouth. Tracy stabs the fingers of one hand into the hair at the back of my head and wraps the other around my right tricep. Her legs entangle with mine and she meets me thrust for thrust.

Knowing that Dean is waiting for me to finish before he feeds, I slowly increase my pace until she has to throw one hand over her head to brace it against the headboard and the sound of my balls wetly smacking her ass is punctuated by her panting breaths.

Rising up on my fists, I stare down at her, watching her breasts jiggle with the force of my thrusts. I eventually realize that despite how beautiful she is, she's not doing a damn thing for me, so I turn my head to seek out where Dean is still sitting in the chair with Amber on his lap. While I watch, he opens his mouth, extends his fangs and then lowers his head to sink his fangs into Amber's neck. The exact second his fangs pierce her skin, my hips stutter as my orgasm explodes from me and I slam into Tracy one last time.

I throw my head back, my eyes drifting shut as a white light flashes behind my lids. I catch myself just before I collapse on her when my arms give out. Pulling out, I roll to the side, flopping over onto my back.

Over the sound of Tracy's panting I can hear Dean feeding and the wet sound of him finger fucking Amber to the accompaniment of her tiny gasps.

Closing my eyes, I drift on the high on my first feeding. If I thought Dean's blood was addictive, I had no idea what that truly meant. I find I'm still hungry, but I'm better able to ignore it now that I've feed from a Human.

My daydream of Dean and I fucking and feeding from a roomful of beautiful men and women is interrupted by Dean shouldering my legs further apart and sliding home in my ass. Blinking my eyes open, I smile up at him. "Hi," I whisper.

"Hi." He leans down and nuzzles behind my left ear. My back arches off the bed and my dick hardens again when he sinks his fangs into my neck. This time when the Bond flares behind my eyes, I discover that Dean finds it beyond arousing watching me fuck a Donor while feeding.

All too soon, Dean pulls his fangs from my neck and licks the wound closed. I wrap my hands around his shoulders and my legs around his waist, doing my best to keep up with the frenzied pace he's set. When Dean tilts his head to the side, baring his neck, I extend my fangs and puncture his artery and suck his blood just like I did earlier when we Bonded.

I remove my fangs from his neck and use licking the wound closed as my opportunity to nibble on his ear and inadvertently discover something about my Mate I was heretofore unaware of. I already knew he loves having his ears nibbled on but I had no idea it could push him completely over the edge, taking me with him.

He rolls off me to lie on his side next to me. Trailing the fingers of his right hand through the come on my chest he then sucks it off. With a low moan, I reach up and pull him down so I can chase my taste around his mouth. Purring softly, Dean all but melts on top of me. He slips his right leg between mine, pressing his knee up against my balls.

"Are you done with us, Dean?" Tracy's laughing voice interrupts our exploration of each other's mouths.

Dean pulls back reluctantly, but doesn't go very far. His lips brush against mine when he answers Tracy's question, "Yeah, we're good."

I expect him to return to searching for my tonsils so I'm surprised when he trails kisses down my throat to my chest, licking around my right nipple.

"Shall we send some more food?"

"Hm?" He raises his head to blow warm air across my spit wet nipple. "Oh, yeah. Send several, he's still hungry." He returns to making a snack of my nipple.

"Any particular requests?"

Dean gives a tiny growl, pulling a chuckle from me. "No. Just make sure they're able to feed a Newborn."

"You got it." With a sigh, Dean begins kissing my chest. "Male or female?"

"What the fuck, Tracy?" Dean raises his head to glare at her.

"What? Don't want to get you something you don't want."

Dean looks at me. "Would it bother you to see me with a guy?"

"Fuck no!" I run one hand down his cheek. "Adair may have had issues with you fucking your men, but I find the image extremely arousing."

The smile that crosses his face at that is just a tiny bit scary. "Make it an even mix, please," he says, once again turning his attentions to my chest.

Tracy chuckles. "He gets like that-" She waves a hand at where Dean is purring and nuzzling my chest like a cat. "-when he's full."

"Is that right?" I run one hand over his scalp, scratching lightly with my nails, which causes him to arch against my hand and purr some more.

"Yep. Man claims to hate cuddling but when he's full-" She shrugs. "There have been times I've had to poke him pretty hard in the ribs to get him to at least give me room to breathe."

"Not an issue for me," I remind her, rolling to my left side when Dean shoves on my right hip.

"Well, enjoy the giant cat masquerading as Dean while I go round you up some more food."

"You do that," I say to her retreating back.

Dean kisses up my spine until he can spoon up behind me with one of his legs between mine. I totally expect him to fuck me again but he doesn't. Instead he just nuzzles the back of my neck.

Relaxing in the loving embrace of my Bonded Soul Mate, I allow myself to drift on the edge of sleep. A small smile graces my face at the purring rumbling up from the chest behind me and at how he's bombarding me with what he's currently feeling; namely that he's content beyond imagining.

Eventually, there's a knock at the door and Dean tightens his hold on my waist and then, with a very put upon sigh, calls out, "Enter!"

"Pardon us, Sirs," a deep masculine voice responds. "But Tracy sent us. Said there was a Newborn that needs to be fed."

"Well, come in, let us look at ya." Dean climbs over me to stand next to the bed, completely unconcerned with his nudity. While I, on the other hand, am suddenly aware that there is a small group of about a dozen strangers standing in a line as if waiting for some kind of inspection.

I roll over to my stomach in an effort to hide my nakedness from the men and women that Dean is currently giving a very thorough once-over to. He seems to be paying more attention to some than others but all of them he runs his fingers down the side of their neck right where I like to feed.

Soon enough, he seems to find them all worthy and steps back. "Who here has feed a Newborn more than once?"

A pretty young man who doesn't look a day over twenty-five, raises his hand. "Before I came here, I worked at a clinic for Vampires who were Turned Without Consent."

"They had you give No Consents their first feeding?" I can hear Dean's surprise as well as feel it. I'll be so glad when I get used to having emotions that aren't mine.

"I wasn't ever their first Human feeding but I was definitely one of the first."

Dean nods. "What's your name?"

"Mark."

Dean turns to face me, his hand on Mark's shoulder. "You see that gorgeous man on the bed there?" He points at me. Mark nods. "He's my newly Turned and Bonded Mate. And you're going to feed him. And fuck him, if he wants you to."

Mark swallows loudly and turns worried eyes on Dean. "I've never topped before."

"You don't have to, if you don't want to. I can always fuck you," I try and reassure him.

Mark shakes his head. "Naw. I've kinda wanted to try it. Ya know, see if I'm really a bottom boy or not."

"Excellent." Dean claps him on the shoulder, giving him a tiny shove toward the bed. "There he is. Go to town and have fun."

Mark looks over his shoulder at Dean, but Dean's attention is already captured by a man who appears to be closer to my age and isn't exactly what I'd call attractive.

"Dean," I call, reaching out for Mark to pull him down next to me. "I happen to know you're still hungry." He just raises one eyebrow at me. "Don't just stand there watching me get my rocks off. There's plenty to go around. Have some fun of your own."

He settles his weight on one foot and crosses his arms over his chest. "And what if my idea of a good time is watching you get off with that pretty boy?"

I chuckle at his response. "Smart ass," I say affectionately.

"Better than a dumb ass," he replies, turning around and leading his current choice over to a couch I hadn't noticed before now on the other side of the room.

Despite what I said to him, I feel a tiny twinge of jealousy at watching him in the arms of another man. Until he begins to feed, that is. That I find extremely arousing.

Mark brings his presence back to my attention by tapping on my hip and calling softly, "Sir?"

I drag my gaze from where Dean is seducing his Donor and focus on Mark. Smiling lightly, I do my best to put him at ease. Reaching out with one hand, I run a finger down his cheek. "Why don't you call me Carter? And you might as well get comfortable." I tug on the sleeve of his tee shirt.

He leans down to press a kiss to my lips, then stands from the bed and begins seductively removing his clothes. As he does so, I can't stop from licking my lips in anticipation of tasting his blood. Mark has more defined muscles than Dean but they're not over the top like a body builder. In fact he reminds me of my last male lover in looks and build. And the similarities are even more obvious when he takes off his pants. My eyes are riveted to his erection which makes my mouth water. He's longer than Dean but not any thicker.

"You said you've never topped before. Does that include women as well as men?"

Mark nods, climbs onto the bed and straddles my thighs. "How do you want me?"

"This is good for now." I wrap one hand around the back of his neck to pull him down for a kiss and the other around his cock. Swirling my thumb over the head, I smear the precome gathered there.

Pulling back from the kiss to let Mark breathe, I lick my palm and then begin to jack him, making sure he's completely hard.

When he begins to rock into my fist, I roll us until I'm on top. Straddling his thighs, I reach behind me to hold him steady so I can impale myself while nibbling my way down his neck. Once fully seated, I sit up straight, causing us both to moan deep in our throats. Taking his hands, I place one of them on my balls and the other on my dick. He fondles my balls for a bit and strokes me a few times before wrapping both hands around my hips and holding me still so he can thrust up into me.

My eyes roll back in my head when he nails my prostate dead on. "I thought you said you'd never topped before."

"I haven't," he pants.

"You must be a natural, then."

Mark chuckles. "Naw, just paid attention when I was being fucked."

"And watched lots of porn?"

"Oh, hell yeah." He tilts his head, exposing his throat and I give in to my hunger.

Leaning down, I place my mouth over his carotid and extend my fangs, piercing the thin wall of the artery and then pulling them back to allow his heart to pump the blood into my mouth. When I have a mouthful, I swallow, just like with Tracy.

As I feed, Mark moans and thrusts even harder and deeper into my ass, causing some blood to dribble from the corners of my mouth when I moan at the head of his penis scraping across my prostate. And now I know why the sheets are blood red.

After several minutes I get the feeling that I've had enough and so I run the flat of my tongue up his neck. I lick much slower than I did with Tracy, making sure the wound closes the first time.

Slipping my arms under his shoulders, I roll us so that he's on top and pull his head down so I can go searching for his tonsils.

When he pulls back to breathe, I notice that his attention keeps straying to where Dean is busy getting his ass fucked by his Donor of choice. Following his gaze, I discover that it's not as difficult as I thought it would be to watch my Mate getting fucked into the couch by a Donor.

Dean's eyes meet mine and that's when I realize that the main reason I don't mind is because he's been flooding my end of the Bond with exactly how wonderful it feels, although not as wonderful as when it's me, and how much he gets off on seeing me with a Donor.

While Mark keeps most of his focus on me and making me feel incredible, he is also keeping more than just one eye on what's happening on the other side of the room. "What's wrong?" I finally ask. "Why do you keep looking over there?"

His hips stutter, then stop. His head drops and he rests it on my shoulder. "The man fucking your Mate is my father."

Well, isn't this fucked up? I think, only to find out with Mark's response to my next statement that I have no idea just how fucked it is. "That doesn't really answer my question."

He sighs and shifts as if to roll off me, but I stop him with my hands on his hips. "Every time I've been fucked, he's either been present, or the one fucking me."

I know Dean's been listening to our conversation and so the confusion and flash of anger I feel from him aren't surprising. But before I can decide if we should stop and handle the fact that Mark has been possibly raped by not only Vampires, but his father, Mark looks me in the eye and says, "But that's not really why I keep looking over there. I like to try and last longer than him so I'm trying to gauge when he's going to come."

I open my mouth to tell Mark that what he just told me is illegal but the look in his eye tells me now isn't the time. So, I decide to let it pass. For now. Once this evening is over, however, I will be looking into whether or not his father needs to go to jail and if there are any other people who need to accompany him.

Both Mark's father and Dean finish before we do and when Mark climaxes, he does so silently before collapsing on my chest, his breath hot against my neck as he struggles to come down from his orgasmic high.

In the barely controlled chaos of the orgy that follows, I lose track of Mark and his father but don't really take notice until much later.

Dawn is breaking when Dean and I finally usher the last of our Donors from the room and begin dressing for the trip home. "So how much does a night like this cost?" I ask, tugging my shirt over my head.

"Enough to keep the Donors very comfortable for the two months they can only be used for sex."

"I've been meaning to ask you something all night."

"Hm?" Dean hums into my mouth when he steals a kiss.

"What do the different lights mean?"

"Green means they haven't been fed from recently, yellow means they were a snack and red means they were feed from within the past two months and can only be used for sex."

"So, some Vampires come here just for sex?"

"Not just Vampires."

"But-" I begin to protest that prostitution is illegal but he talks over me.

"Prostitution isn't illegal in a Registered Vampire Diner. It costs more for a Human but if they can afford it, they can't be arrested for it."

I just shake my head. I had no idea that Vampirism was so political. But I'm quickly learning that if a Registered Vampire is involved, almost everything is legal.

"We need to talk about Mark and his father," I say, following Dean from the club and back up the street to his truck.

"The club we just left is a Registered Vampire Diner," he replies, as if that means anything to me.

"And that means, what, exactly?"

He turns to face me, regret clear on his face and heavy in the Bond. "It means we can't do anything about it."

"But Mark said he used to feed No Consents at a clinic."

"And I can almost guarantee you that the owner of this Diner owns the clinic he worked at. I told you, if it's Registered to a Vampire, it's beyond our jurisdiction."

"What about Nick's? Or The Council's?" I can't believe he's just going to ignore someone breaking the law like this. "Shouldn't we at least bring it to their attention?"

Dean looks calm, but through the Bond I can feel him start to get a little annoyed. "Carter, you're still young and don't quite know all our ways, yet, so I'm going to let this pass. Trust me when I say that no one can touch Mark's father or the man who owns this Diner."

"Tell me we won't visit that Diner again."

"Why? You don't want to give a law breaker any money?" He chuckles when I nod my head. "He doesn't get any of our money. The Donors who work the rooms are contractors. They buy the space, usually for a year, and they get to keep all the money they get."

I point out, "He still gets our money when Tracy, or any of our Donors from tonight, buys her room for the next year."

Dean actually stops in the middle of the sidewalk to take a good, long look at me. "Why is this bothering you so much? It appeared to me that Mark was fine with being fucked by his father."

"Then why were you angry when he said it?"

Dean sighs and shifts his weight. "Because I knew it would have the potential of throwing you out of the moment and I was enjoying watching him fuck you too much."

"I still can't believe that it doesn't anger you to know that man has fucked his son."

"If they were both consenting adults, they why is it any of my business?"

"Because it's illegal! Even between two adults. And from the way Mark said it, I think he was coerced into it. At the very least."

Dean steps closer and cups one cheek. "If it'll make you stop harping about it, I'll put out some feelers and see if Mark was an adult, and fully consenting, when it happened, okay?"

"Thank you," I say softly, turning my head to kiss his palm. "Now take me home and remind me to just whom I belong."

"My pleasure." His voice is a deep dark growl that sends a shiver down my skin and has images of us fucking on every flat surface in our apartment, and the loft, running through my mind.

His hand still on my cheek, he leans in and sucks my tongue into his mouth, turning us so that I'm pressed up against the side of his Land Rover. We begin rubbing against each other, our hands roaming just about everywhere. About the time he slips his hands under my shirt to play with my nipples, I hear a throat being cleared before a stern voice says, "Excuse me."

With barely audible growls, we pull back and look toward the entrance to the parking lot where a beat cop is standing with one hand on his sidearm. "Is there a problem, Officer?" Dean asks his voice still a bit rough.

"This is a public street. I'm gonna have to ask y'all to move it along."

"Of course, Officer. It's just that we're newly Bonded and he just had his first feeding at the Diner up the street."

The officer nods. "I understand, but please take it home." He gives us a look that reminds me of my seventh grade science teacher, Mrs. Niland.

"Absolutely, Officer. Have a good day and be careful out there," I say, the Lieutenant in me wanting to make sure this young officer makes it home at the end of his shift.

"Will do." He dips his head and I'm sure if he had been wearing a hat he'd have touch the brim with his fingers.

We wait until he walks on down the street before sharing one more chaste kiss and then climbing into the front seat of the truck. "I can't believe you admitted we're Vampires." Dean just shrugs. "What if he had asked to see our Registration papers?"

"He wouldn't have." Dean starts the truck and looks over his shoulder, one hand on the back of my seat, to back out of the parking lot and into traffic.

"And you know this, how?"

Dean looks at me like I've just asked the stupidest question known to man. "He didn't have a heartbeat."

"He didn't?"

Dean just blinks at me, makes a noise in the back of his throat and turns to face front and head back to the loft. "How could you possibly have missed him not having a heartbeat?"

"Um, I was kinda distracted by someone's hand toying with my nipple."

Dean sighs and I can sense the eye roll. "I guess I need to teach you more than just how to feed."

"Do you have to teach me now?" I purr, scooting as close as I can with my seatbelt on and sliding my right hand up his right thigh.

Dean chuckles and shifts in his seat to give me better access. "Yep. I want you to listen to the sounds outside this car and find at least two Vampires."

With my hand almost to his crotch, I concentrate on the sounds around us, filtering out the sounds of traffic, people talking, singing and playing music, leaving only the sounds of hearts beating and people breathing. Dean takes exception to the fact that I stopped moving my hand, and clears his throat. With a sound of frustration, I again begin moving my hand toward the bulge in his pants. When we stop at a red light I notice that of the five people waiting for a bus, only two have heartbeats. I stretch my neck to whisper in his ear, "At the bus stop across the street; five people, only two heart beats."

One corner of Dean's mouth lifts in a smirk. "Actually, three heart beats. The woman sitting on the bench is pregnant. And judging by the strength of the heartbeats, I'd say she doesn't even know yet. But good job."

Feeling proud of myself, I bite gently on his earlobe and unzip his pants to reach inside to squeeze his erection. "Hurry home. I find I want to straddle your lap right here and fuck myself on your huge cock." Said cock jumps in my hand at my statement and I can hear Dean swallow.

Dean doesn't increase his speed, won't do to get a speeding ticket, but he does find a quicker way back home.

With a squeal of tires, he turns the corner into the parking garage underneath the loft and swings the truck into his spot in the back behind the elevator. He turns off the ignition with a sharp twist of his wrist before turning to lower the backseat, making the storage area in back big enough for us to lie down. He climbs over the seat and then reaches out and grabs handfuls of my shirt, and using his own body weight, pulls me from my seat and into the back with him.

We land with twin grunts with me on top. He uses his grip on my shirt to pull me down for a kiss. After the evening we just had, I would have thought that neither of us would be desperate for sex any time soon but, as is often the case since Dean Bendis entered my life, I'm proved wrong when my dick instantly hardens at the feel of his lips against mine and our kisses become urgent as we scramble to divest each other of our clothes.

Once full naked, we spend several enjoyable minutes just rubbing against each other like teenagers. Dean's hands travel down my back to my thighs, urging me to straddle him. "I believe you said something about fucking yourself on my cock," he says, nibbling on my jaw.

"Hm, did I say that?"

He chuckles. "Yeah, ya did. Although I think you wanted to ride my dick while I was driving down the street." And damn if I don't have a new kink now.

"Yes, well, that would not only be illegal but dangerous."

"But still something you want to try." He knows me so well.

With a smirk, I reach behind me to hold his erection steady and with just a little bit of wiggling, manage to impale myself, hissing a bit at the burn. I know if I was still Human, I'd be beyond sore and would most definitely not be able to sit, much less let him fuck me for a while.

Thanking God that I'm not still Human, I begin rocking my hips. Sitting up, I brace my feet against the floor and my hands against the ceiling and raise and lower myself, wiggling a bit so that the head of his cock scrapes over my prostate.

Dean bends his knees and places his feet flat on the floor to give him the proper leverage to thrust up into me. The force of his thrusts has my eyes rolling back in my head and has me sparing half a thought for the poor shocks and being thankful that Dean takes such good care of his vehicle. I haven't had sex in a car since I was with Nicole. I forgot how incredible it can be.

Dean wraps both hands around my dick and after just a few strokes my world explodes into a million, billion brightly colored pieces and I feel the wet warmth that tells me Dean has followed me over the edge. Sitting back on my heels, I lean against Dean's upraised knees and gaze down at the body between my legs. I still have trouble believing that he loves me and that we'll be spending eternity together.

"I can hear you thinking," Dean grumbles, tugging on my hands to get me to lean forward so he can shove his tongue down my throat.

Cupping his head in my hands, I make myself comfortable using him as a mattress. The deep tonsil searching kisses taper off to nibbling little kisses and I find myself getting sappy and wanting to wax poetic about everything about him.

"Mm, as much as I'm loving this, I think we need to take this somewhere a hell of a lot more comfortable," Dean pulls back to say.

I whine in the back of my throat. "Do we have to?" I know he's right, it can't possibly be comfortable lying here with me on top of him, but damn if I don't want to move.

Dean just chuckles and pats me on the ass. "Yes, please."

With one last kiss, I climb off him and from the truck. He follows and since there's no one to see us, we just gather up our clothes and carry them upstairs. It's very odd, walking around naked in areas where I'm usually fully clothed.

Once in the elevator, Dean backs me against the wall and begins nibbling on my lips again. Despite how sore I should be, my body responds immediately. "God, Dean!" I gasp, turning my head and giving him perfect access to my earlobe. "Is it always like this?"

"Like what?" He slides one knee between my legs and rubs his hairy thigh against my balls.

"This constant need to touch you; fuck you."

"Are you complaining?"

"A bit. I realize that I heal faster than before but my dick and ass are getting sore."

He leans back to look me in the eye. "I think you're sex-drunk."

"What's that?" I pull him back down so I can nuzzle behind his left ear.

"It's something that happens, sometimes, to Newborns when they're full from their first feeding and in close proximity to their Bonded Mate."

"Does it go away?" I ask just as the elevator stops on our floor.

"Well, it does lessen over time but most Newborns who get sex-drunk during their first feeding almost always remain skin hungry for their Bonded Mate," he replies, stepping from the elevator and leading me toward the bedroom area.

"I certainly like the idea of always wanting to touch you but the constant need for sex can get to be too much, ya know?"

"Mmhm," he hums, sealing his mouth to mine and dropping the bundle of his clothes before knocking mine from my arms.

"Dean!" I stop him with a hand to the center of his chest. "As much as I love you, I think sleep would be best right now. Not to mention a shower. I stink."

"By all means, be my guest." He motions for me to enter the bathroom ahead of him.

Twisting the knobs on the tub faucet, I notice he's followed me. "Alone, please." He pouts, then scowls when it becomes obvious I'm not going to back down. "I can't keep my hands off you and I really need some sleep."

"Fine," he grumbles. He leans back against the pedestal sink where I had him fuck me just a month ago and crosses his arms and ankles.

I give him an 'I'm watching you' look and shake my head because he hasn't really left me alone, since the shower curtain is see-through. I step under the spray, lean my hands against the wall and let the water beat down on my head and shoulders. When I feel myself starting to doze, I make quick work of washing my hair and body.

My gaze locks with Dean's when I flick back the shower curtain and reach for a towel. "You know I love you, right?" Funny how those three words seemed so fucking difficult to say just months ago, well, difficult to say in English.

"Yeah." He doesn't even shift from his spot against the sink and looking in his eyes I finally get it. It's not just me that's sex-drunk. Dean, too, can't seem to get enough of touching me, fucking me and it's all my fault. My fault for making him think he wasn't enough when I freaked and ran last month. He feels like he has to keep me within reach so that he'll know I'm there, that I haven't run off again. He's seeking solace in being able to touch me and know from the feel of me under his hands that I'm still here.

A sudden image pops into my head, like it's a memory, only I'm pretty sure it didn't happen in my lifetime: Dean, dusty and dirty and ragged and thin and young, sweating and exhausted and standing solemnly over a fresh dirt pile by his parents' cottage. As this Dean looks at me now I can see something of that orphaned youth in his eyes. He looks… abandoned. Alone. Nobody died this time but it's like this one little rejection, this one small insistence that we spend a little time apart makes him feel like an orphan all over again. This time, it wasn't his parents to put that look on his face again. It was me.

"Dean-" I step closer but he lowers his eyes and the moment's gone.

"You're right, Carter. It's too much at once. I'm a bit sore as well." He pushes off his perch and steps toward the tub. When he passes me, he touches the back of my right hand with one of his fingers just like we've been doing the past four months when in the company of others.

Turning my hand, I squeeze his fingers until he squeezes back and then giving my fingers a tiny shake, he drops them so he can continue on to the tub.

The moment well and truly ruined, I walk back into the bedroom and over to the bed. Flinging back the top sheet, I lie down on my back and stare up at the ceiling, my mind supplying the image of Dean naked and with water flowing down his body in an effort to get me to get up and join him.

With a growl, I roll over to my right side, putting my back to the side of the bed Dean usually sleeps on, and order my brain to shut up so I can sleep. Eventually it obeys and I slip into slumber.

Over the next several weeks we barely have time to speak to each other and so the issue with Mark and his father is pushed from my mind.

That is until I'm on my way to meet a target and see a young man holding up a wall across the street who reminds me of Mark. He's visibly battered and bruised and has one arm wrapped around his torso in a way that tells me he's having trouble breathing, most likely from busted ribs.

It goes against everything in me to just walk away and leave him standing there when he so clearly needs assistance but this case is almost closed and I can't risk that for a young man who has piqued my protective instincts.

So, making a mental note to send a radio car as soon as I bust the target, I continue on my way.

As luck would have it, the bust goes sideways quickly and I find myself on the other side of a conference table from a member of IA answering questions about my having to kill the target to save not only myself but my Mate and the rest of our team.

By the time IA is satisfied it was a clean kill, Mark has once again slipped from my mind.

Three weeks later, and nearly two months after I Turned, I come home to find Dean wearing a very nice suit.

Walking over to where Dean is standing next to the closet, adjusting his French cuffs, I ask, "Got a hot date?"

He looks up at me through his lashes. "Yeah and apparently my date forgot."

My brows lower in confusion for just a moment before I remember that today is my Human birthday. "God, Dean. It's been a hell of a coupla months. Give a guy a break, would ya?"

The smile that graces his face has me going weak in the knees. "I suppose you could make it up to me." His voice is a deep rumble that goes straight to my dick.

When he sidles up next to me, I finger one lapel. "Is this Armani?" I was aware that Dean has a lot of bank, but not this much.

"Yep." He shrugs, tugging on his cuffs again. "Giorgio made it for me himself."

"You know Giorgio Armani?" Dean just smirks at me. "Just how rich are you?"

"Liquid or on paper?" He turns to pull a garment bag from the closet.

"Um, both?" I move to take the bag from him only to frown when he tosses it on the end of the bed instead.

"Hm, let's see…" He wraps his hands around my hips and chews his lower lip. "I can get my hands on roughly twenty million. With stocks, bonds, property and other investments, I'm worth approximately five hundred billion."

I nearly swallow my tongue. "Five…hundred…billion!? With a 'B'?" He didn't really say that, did he? He can't possibly be serious. Can he really have that much money?

"Yes, Carter, billion, with a 'B'. I've been around a really long time. Not hard to build up that kind of coinage considering the number of years I've been alive." He pushes my jacket from my shoulders. "Does it bother you, my being this rich?"

"Why would it bother me?" I take his hint and begin removing my clothes. "Although I do wonder why you work if you have that much money."

Dean snorts and reaches for the garment bag. "Because sitting on my ass is boring." He unzips it and pulls back the sides to reveal a suit similar in cut to his but in a lighter shade of brown; in fact it's almost cream colored. Where Dean's shirt is white with blue pinstripes and solid white cuffs and collar, mine is a solid white and while Dean's tie is the color of the sand on my favorite beach, mine is ivory. "Don't you agree?"

"Absolutely. I'd much rather risk life and limb catching bad guys even though I don't need the paycheck."

"Oooh, Carter," he tsks. "Sarcasm doesn't become you." I just roll my eyes and reach for the suit. "Uh-uh." He pulls it out of my reach. "Take a shower first. There are clean boxers in the bathroom for you."

I contemplate asking him to join me but a quick look at the set of his face and I change my mind. Entering the bathroom, I find a pair of boxers on the shelf over the toilet. I pick them up and discover they're not only my size, no surprise there, but are also Armani. Dean is spoiling me and I'm not sure I want him to stop.

Stepping into the tub I take a quick shower and slip into the boxers before heading back out to the bedroom.

Walking up to where Dean's still standing, I raise one eyebrow and ask, "Armani boxers? Really?"

"Can't wear Fruit of the Loom with an Armani suit, Carter." He has a point.

When I reach for the suit again, he hands me a pair of socks. "Are these Armani, too?"

"Maybe," he hedges which tells me that they are.

"Dean," I scold.

He just shrugs. "What? It's not doing anyone any good just sitting in a bank account. So if I can't spend it on you, who can I spend it on?"

I compress my lips but don't say anything, just step into the pants he hands me. When I reach for the shirt, Dean doesn't hand it over, just holds it like a jacket and waits for me to slide my arms into the sleeves. He settles it on my shoulders and smoothes any wrinkles, then steps around in front to begin doing up the buttons.

I put my hands on his, stopping his nimble fingers. "I can dress myself, ya know."

"I know, but I want to do this for you. Let me, please?" A faint blush creeps up his neck, telling me he fed recently, and he ducks his head.

He really wants to do this and I don't have the heart to say no to him. "Okay."

After he finishes buttoning my shirt, I tuck it in myself and do up the fly on my pants. That done, he pulls a small jewelry box out of one pocket and hands it to me. "Happy birthday, thuit mo," he says, leaning in and pressing his lips to mine.

I open the box and my jaw drops at the sight of a pair of silver cuff links with my initials engraved on them lying on a bed of gauzy cotton. "I can't accept this, Dean. It's too much." I try and give the box back.

"No, it's not. It's not nearly enough." He refuses to take the box back.

"But, Dean…" I begin to protest but the look on his face stops me. "Thank you." I decide to give in on this because the man's right. With five hundred billion in the bank what does it hurt for him to spend it on me? It's not like he spends it on himself. Other than the expensive television and the clothes I can now see tucked into a back corner of the closet.

With quick efficiency, showing just how used to the finer things in life he is, including expensive clothes, he does my cuffs and then plucks the tie out of the bag. Flipping up my collar, he loops the tie around my neck. He quickly ties it in a single Windsor knot and tightens it, his fingers brushing against the underside of my chin. Stepping behind me again he holds up my jacket for me to slip into. Settling the jacket with a shrug, I tug my cuffs much like he was doing. "Shoes?" I ask when I realize I'm standing here in my socks.

"Right here." Dean leans down and picks up a pair of very nice dress shoes from under the bed.

I sit down on the end of the bed and put the shoes on, then stand and look at myself in the full length mirror. "Tell me how you managed to get the suit perfectly tailored to me."

"I know your body, Carter. And George is used to working with Vampires asking for clothes for their Mate as a surprise. All he required was for me to find a model with a similar body type."

I nod my understanding and follow him from the apartment and down to the garage where a limo is waiting.

"A limo? Really, Dean?"

"It's a special occasion, Carter. And we didn't have a proper courtship, so let me do this. Please?" He nods to the driver who's holding the rear door open.

When I hesitate, Dean nudges me with a hand in the center of my back.

With a nod, I slide inside and settle back against the seat. I turn slightly to face him when he joins me. "So where are we going?" I ask when the car begins to pull out of the garage.

"Don't worry about it." He just loves being helpful, doesn't he? "Champagne?" He lifts a bottle up from the bucket of ice it's sitting in.

"Don't really like the taste. Too dry for me."

"You've probably been drinking that cheap ass stuff." He removes the cork and pours a glass. "Try this. It's Dom Perignon Rose." Sitting back, he hands me the glass.

Taking it from his fingers, I lift it to my lips and take a sip. The bubbles explode over my tongue. Despite the hint of strawberries, it's too dry for me. Clearing my throat, I hand the glass back. "Still don't like it."

"This is a forty thousand dollar bottle of wine, Carter." He gapes at me like he can't believe I don't like it.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it, Dean."

He rolls his eyes, sets the glass of champagne down and removes the stopper on a decanter of scotch. He pours a measure of the amber liquid into a glass, replaces the stopper and picks the champagne glass back up before sitting back and handing me the scotch. "Fine. Here. At least it's top shelf."

I lift the glass to my lips, effectively hiding my smile, and take a sip, my eyes closing in bliss as the whiskey burns its way down my throat. "Ah, now that's my kind of drink."

Dean rolls his eyes. "You need a little culture in your life, Carter."

"Says the guy allergic to culture," I snicker into my glass.

"What?" His voice holds more than a note of shock. "I'll have you know I'm very cultured. I have season box seats to the sympathy, ballet and opera. I'm also a very large, anonymous, donor to several art galleries."

"So is that where you're taking me, to the opera or ballet?" He takes my glass from me and sets it, and his glass, down on the little cabinet where the liquor is kept.

"I do believe I told you to not worry about that." He opens a door and I see a tiny fridge from which he pulls out a container that he sets on the seat between us.

"Dean?" I wait for him to look up at me. "Are you romancing me?" He just looks at me and I can't feel anything more than contentment from him. "I'm not a girl, ya know."

"Never said you were the girl, here, Carter; although, you were a girl twice before." He opens the container and I see it contains chocolate covered strawberries.

"So were you." That gets his attention.

His head snaps up and he stares at me. "What do you mean?"

"You were my wife in two of my past lives."

"Which ones?" He picks up a strawberry and holds it out for me to take a bite.

With a minor eye roll, I take a bite and say, after swallowing, "I don't remember much about one of them, but the other one I remember quite a bit and you knew me then."

"Well, duh, if I was your wife." Dean copies my eye roll.

I snicker. "I mean you knew this life."

His brows lower in confusion. "That's not possible."

"You sure about that?" I lift his hand with two of my fingers and take another bite of the strawberry.

"Only life I can think of is Adair and his wife died just two years before I was born."

"And that means it's impossible that you're Adair's wife?"

"Everyone knows that a soul never returns any sooner than twenty years after the end of their most recent life."

"And why's that? Because it's never been recorded?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, Gibbs came back once every one hundred years nine times but other than that, most people only return every two to three hundred years."

"And yet you returned just two years after Elizabeth died."

He shakes his head. "That's not…" His voice trails off.

"Remember how Adair used to act around you?" He nods. "That's because he recognized your soul. He may not have realized it, but he did."

"But…how…?"

Suddenly I feel this flood of something in my head that's almost like a presence, and I know somehow that it's Adair. He's fighting to crawl out of my memories and talk to Dean in person.

"You have no idea what it felt like, lad, to look into eyes I recognized the moment your mother laid you in my arms." I understand some of the words coming out of my mouth, but not all, because they're spoken in ancient Scottish Gaelic. I've been trying to learn for Dean, but it's slow going because one can't use phonics for Gaelic. "Do you understand how hard it was for me to reconcile my feelings, my sexual feelings, for you with your age? I was sexually attracted to an infant, then a young child, then a young boy and then finally – finally – you were a young man. The day your parents died, I was coming over to ask your father for permission to move you into my house." Dean's eyes drift closed and one tear slips from the corner of each eye. "I was then going to tell The McKinnon that I love you, that we were lovers."

"Why?" Dean's voice is whisper soft.

"Because I wanted to be selfish. I wanted you all to myself." I reach out and grab his face, brushing his tears away with my thumbs. "But when I saw you burying your parents, I couldn't do it. I couldn't keep you from having the opportunity to have the family you just lost. So I did the only thing I could. I took you with me to the castle. The only thing I regret is ignoring you for so long."

"Adair." The despair in Dean's voice is nearly my undoing and just strengthens Adair's hold.

"I love you, Dean McGillis. I'm so sorry I didn't let you know sooner." With a gentle tug, I pull him toward me so I can attack his mouth. With a little bit of fumbling, he shoves the container of strawberries from the seat and moves to straddle my hips, but I push him back and settle in his lap with my knees on either side of his thighs. "Dean," I groan, Adair slipping back just a bit before rushing forward again.

Dean's hands roam over my body, up under my shirt, down my back and back around to my front to undo my fly and tug out my erection. When his hands disappear, I pull back to see him pulling a handkerchief from the inside pocket of his jacket. Flipping it open, he wraps it around my length and begins stroking.

Throwing my head back, I let go of his face to dig my nails into the leather of the seat and fuck his fist. "Dean!" Much too soon, the world around me explodes and my cock empties into the handkerchief surrounding it.

With a last couple of tiny twitches of my hips, I all but melt into Dean. A couple of seconds later, I don't so much roll to the side as slither off him until I'm slouched in my original spot. I can feel Adair still hovering but I have much more control now. Until Dean leans over and licks my dick clean, that is. The instant Dean's lips touch my groin, Adair pushes to the fore again, and he grips Dean's neck tightly with my hand. "Fuck, lad!" he hisses, my hips jerking unconsciously, trying to get more of that wicked warmth.

With one last lick, Dean sits up and runs the back of one hand across his mouth. And just like that, Adair is gone and I'm completely in control again. "You do that very often for Adair?" I can't help but ask while straightening my clothes.

Dean shakes his head, sitting back against the seat and tugging his jacket back into place. "He wouldn't let me suck him or give him a hand job very often. Of course, we didn't always have that much time. He preferred to just fuck me whenever we were alone."

"Gee, that sounds awful familiar," I quip, stifling a chuckle.

"Shut up," he replies, the smile I love, and don't see near enough of, crossing his face.

We lean in toward each other, both intent on devouring the other, but before we can even make contact, the limo comes to a stop and the door is opened. Dean sighs and rests his forehead against mine. "We're here."

"Yeah? And just where is 'here'?"

"You'll see."

"What is it with you and all these cryptic answers today?"

"Ever heard of a surprise?" I can only roll my eyes at that. While I like surprises just fine, I didn't think he'd be able to surprise me now that we've Bonded.

Dean exits the car and I follow to find him tugging on his cuffs, yet again. I make sure my own clothes are straight and as wrinkle free as they can be after sitting in the back of a limo for almost an hour, and follow him through a door that has definitely seen better days. The cop in me notices all the muscle placed unobtrusively around. Makes me wonder if they're needed very often.

On the other side of the door, is a small lobby, of sorts, with a concierge podium next to a stainless steel door set in the wall opposite the entrance. On a barstool behind the podium, is a pretty Asian girl, munching on a bowl of grapes and reading a textbook. She looks up when we enter and smiles at us. "Welcome, gentlemen. How are you this evening?"

"We're doing just fine." Dean's voice is whiskey smooth and makes the door girl blush. "We're here to celebrate a birthday."

Her face brightens and she looks back and forth between us. "Well, happy birthday!" She slides off the stool with a little bounce "I'm sorry I have to ask…" She looks apologetic and holds out her hands with just the first two fingers extended. Dean takes her right hand in his left and lifts it to his carotid and I follow suit. Satisfied that we're Vampires, she marks our hands with a stamp that says 'Vampire'.

Dean places one hand on the small of my back to lead me through the doors and into the club proper. "I am so not the girl, here, Dean," I say through gritted teeth.

Dean leans over, places his lips against my ear and whispers, "Didn't say you were. Only trying to make sure you don't get lost in the crowd." His warm breath on my ear makes a shiver skate down my spine. "I hope you don't mind that I invited a couple members of Sylum, a Mated pair, to join us. Figured I should start introducing you to your new 'family'."

The club isn't what I expected it to be. The lights are almost too low for Humans, there is chrome everywhere which reflects what little light there is and the music is low but has a deep thrumming bass. While there are several cocktail tables, they are outnumbered by far by couches that are designed for lounging with another person lining the walls. The wall opposite the door is taken up by a bar that is a showpiece worthy of a museum. Behind the bar the bartenders are an even mix of Human and Vampire. In order to tell them apart, they wear different colored shirts, white for Human; black for Vampire. Despite the music being the type you'd hear in dance clubs, there isn't really a dance floor and there are very few people dancing. Most couples are either chatting at a table or on a couch or are engaged in activity that doesn't allow them to actually talk.

Dean leads me across the floor and up a set of stairs to the right of the bar. Upstairs is more like a lounge than a club. There are couches and seating areas all around. There is hardly any space not occupied. Just like downstairs everyone is either talking or making out or feeding.

Some of the couples greet Dean and he returns the greetings, introducing me. Sort of. When people say 'hi', he says 'hi' back and then "This is Carter" their response is "Hi, nice to meet you" I reply "Same here", then we continue on. On down the hall, to the door at the end on the right.

And the whole way, his hand is burning me through the layers of my clothes where it's pressing lightly against the small of my back.

Dean opens the door and ushers me inside. First thing I see is a square table set elegantly for four. Standing on the other side of the table from the door, are two men; both Vampires. One man is older and is obviously a fellow officer of the law and the other is younger, with wild curly hair and a nervous nature that leads one to think he's led a rather sheltered life. The younger one also keeps sneaking glances out of the corner of his eye to the older one almost like he's seeking his approval, or making sure he's still there, despite standing so close their shoulders are touching.

"Don!" Dean exclaims, stepping forward to engulf the older of the two in a bear hug that would probably leave a Human with bruised ribs.

"Dean!" The hug is returned with relish. "Great to see ya again. And in a legal place, too."

My eyebrow climbs my forehead at that. Dean never told me he'd almost been arrested by this man. "We're not gonna talk about that, right, Don?"

Don looks back and forth between Dean and me until understanding clicks. "Right. Not going to talk about that." He steps around Dean, one hand extended. "So introduce us."

"Carter, this is Don Eppes and his Bonded Mate, Charlie Eppes. Don, Charlie, this is my Bonded Mate, Carter Shaw."

I shake hands with both men, murmuring the standard greeting of "Hello, how do you do? Nice to meet you" and get it in return.

"We were just told that dinner will be a few minutes, yet," Charlie says. His voice doesn't sound as nervous and shy as I was expecting it to, given the way he's fidgeting.

"That's fine," Dean responds. "That'll give us some time to sit and talk."

Dean, once again, places his hand on the small of my back and guides me toward two couches I had failed to notice before. Don and Charlie sit down on the one they were obviously sitting on when we entered, and Dean and I take the one set at a ninety degree angle to theirs.

"So, Carter," Don begins, settling back against the cushions, one leg crossed over the other and one arm along the back of the couch, leaving his left side open for his Mate to curl into. "How'd you and Dean meet?"

Dean copies Don's posture, but I know he doesn't want me to snuggle up to him. But only because that's not who we are. Cuddling at home's one thing, in public with people I don't know very well, is something altogether different. "Well, when he heard I was putting a task force together to go deep undercover to get some of the worst of the worst criminals off the streets, he came to my office and demanded I hire him."

Don chuckles. "Sounds like our Dean." I've never been particularly jealous, but hearing him call Dean, 'our Dean' just rubs me the wrong way and I can't help but bristle at the possessive tone in his voice. "So did you feel the spark the very first time you touched?"

"I did. But I didn't think anything of it. I just thought it was a buildup of static electricity."

"Well, it was a buildup of static electricity…" Charlie starts to say but Don cuts him off with a "Not now, Charlie."

Smiling slightly at the way Don treats his Mate, I place my hand high on Dean's leg, tucking my fingers between his crossed thighs with my pinky brushing against his balls. Dean chuckles softly at the extra possessive touch and the Bond is flooded with amusement. "So how'd you two meet?"

"Not so fast, Carter," Dean says. "You're not done with our story, yet."

I barely stop myself from rolling my eyes. "Fine," I grit out, causing Dean to snicker. He is so loving my frustration and I will make him pay for it later. "I didn't want to hire him at first. I was married at the time and would quite often take work home. One night my wife picked up some files, one of them Dean's, and told me I should hire Dean."

"What made her say that?" Don asks.

"At the time she said he looked like someone I could trust to watch my back. I now know it's because she's a Chosen and has known Dean all her life."

"Why didn't you know that before?" Charlie this time.

"Because I didn't believe. Even when I could feel that Dean didn't have a heartbeat, I had a hard time wrapping my head around it."

"And now here we are fully Bonded." Dean's voice is the one he usually reserves for when we're alone.

"Why do I get the feeling there's a hell of a lot more to that story?" Don urges us to tell all.

"Because there is more but we don't have time for the entire thing." Dean begins playing with my hair and I have to wonder just what has gotten into my Mate tonight. He's never been the mushy type and yet this whole evening has been about seducing me, despite the fact that he's already won me over.

"Fair enough." Charlie has his head resting on Don's shoulder and Don is running his fingers through Charlie's hair. It's obviously something they do often.

Before I can ask my question again, Don tilts Charlie's face up so he can give him a kiss and one leads to two which leads to them making out.

I don't even try to stop the eye roll, turning to face Dean. "Are they newlyweds?"

"Not exactly."

"Oh, that's helpful," I huff. "Seriously, Dean. Why can't I get a straight answer outta you?"

"Don and Charlie have the same last name because they're brothers." I just raise one eyebrow. "Souls tend to cluster together. Makes it easier to find your Soul Mate that way." The other eyebrow joins the first one. Now it's Dean's turn to roll his eyes when it becomes obvious that I'm not going to try and finish this for him. "While the soul is the most important, it doesn't matter if the body is the same gender or if it shares your DNA. Since Vampires can't procreate even brother/sister Mates happen. Although not as often as brother/brother or sister/sister." He pauses for the count of four then sighs. "Do I really have to actually say this next part?"

"Yeah, ya do."

"Fine. Because of this, incest is a non-issue within the Vampire community. We don't get involved in Human laws even though Humans get in the middle of ours."

"That wasn't my problem, Dean. We're cops. Mark is the victim of incest. That's illegal in Human society and it's our job to uphold those laws."

"Like I said, if Mark and his father were forced to have sex by a Vampire, at a Registered Vampire club, that law doesn't apply."

"I don't agree with that."

"Well, then you're just going to have to learn how to accept it because there isn't a damn thing you can do about it."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." God, I feel like a toddler.

"But it does mean you have to keep your trap shut about it. Nick has worked very hard to make sure that Vampires retain certain rights."

"And that means that they can get away with breaking certain laws?"

"Unfortunately yes. I don't like it either but I have been around longer and I can safely say that there will always be people who will abuse it. But if we crack down on the bad guys the good guys lose their rights too and that's not fair."

"I'd be willing to lose some rights if it means kids like Mark don't have to worry about being raped by their fathers on the whim of a Vampire."

He purses his lips and nods. "But those Vampires that have been around long enough to remember it being illegal for them to even exist, won't agree with you."

"It's not the same thing!" It's not. It can't possibly be.

"And yet it is. If Registered Vampires can be persecuted for the same laws as Humans it throws us back a hundred years."

"But why should Vampires get different laws than Humans?"

"Because we live longer. Not to mention, if you make incest illegal for Vamps, Don and Charlie can't be together and breaking up a Bonded pair goes against everything it means to be a Vampire."

"But to make Humans commit incest? That should be illegal!"

"He could just say that he thinks they're Soul Mates."

I can feel a headache coming and put one hand to my forehead. "We're talking in circles here."

"Yes we are. Now do you understand? Vampire politics are confusing and something I try to keep out of."

Before I can respond to that, the door opens and a pretty girl with skin the color of milk chocolate enters. "Excuse me, Sirs, but Chef sends his apologies. There has been a minor disaster in the kitchen and dinner will be several more minutes yet." She opens the door wider and four pretty girls followed by four handsome men, enter. "He asks that you take your pick while you wait." She waves her hand in the direction of the eight people that have been sent in an effort to appease us like we're evil war lords who will get angry and start flogging people if we have to wait too long for our dinner.

A glance at the other couch shows that Don and Charlie aren't even aware that there are Donors in the room. Turning to face Dean, I find him looking at me. "Go ahead, Carter. Pick one. Or two. Hell, have all eight if ya want."

I look from Dean to the group of Donors and back. "What about you and Don and Charlie?"

Dean leans around me to look at where Don and Charlie are still wrapped around each other on the other couch. Giving an amused snort he sits back and says, "I don't think they're interested in feeding before dinner." He leans his head on one hand, the elbow propped on the arm of our couch. "And as for me-" He shrugs. "I'm not a Newborn."

"Neither am I. It's been two months since you Turned me."

He just smiles at me. "You're not a century old yet. Therefore you-" He points one finger at me. "-are a Newborn."

Hearing that, I frown at him. "It'll take that long?"

"If you keep trying to rush it, yes. Sit back, let me teach you what you need to know. You don't have to always be in control, ya know."

I know Dean has a point but I've been in charge for so long that it's difficult for me to just sit back and let someone take the lead. Heaving a sigh, I look back at the group of Donors. "Fine. Teach me how to feed without the Donor being aware."

Dean smirks, holds out one hand and says, "Take your pick."

Standing from the couch, I walk over to where the eight men and women are standing, staring at us. Looking them over, I chose a young girl who looks nervous. I glance back over my shoulder at Dean. "What do I do first?"

"First, pretend you've just met her at a club or bar and have decided to try and talk her into going home with you." It's been a long time since I've done that so I'm not quite sure how to go about that anymore. "Been a while, Carter?" I give a tiny nod. "Put your arms around her and start talking as low as you can."

"You mean whisper?" I wrap my arms around her waist. "What's your name?" I put my lips to her ear to ask in the softest whisper I can manage.

"No, Carter. Softer than that. You have to make it so that even Vampires have to strain to hear you."

I crinkle my forehead while trying to figure out how to do that. "That's not possible. Is it?" I turn to face him.

"Would I tell you to do it if it wasn't possible?"

He has a point. Turning back, I wrap my arms around her waist and again ask her name. "Mandi," she answers in a voice closer to the volume I'm sure Dean had in mind.

"Just pretend you're trying to seduce her into going home with you." Mandi starts shivering a bit more.

"Not. Helping." I turn my head and glare at my Mate who just winks at me.

Once again turning my attention back to the woman in my arms, I begin swaying from side to side slightly. She gives a little sigh, closes her eyes and wrapping her arms around my shoulders, tucks her head in the crook of my neck. I begin murmuring so softly, I can hardly hear myself and kiss along her jaw.

I place my mouth over her carotid like I'm about to give her a hickey. "Extend your fangs slowly. Biting her quickly will pull her out of the trance you've put her in."

I do as instructed; slowly extending my fangs until they puncture Mandi's skin, then pull them back and let her heart pump the blood into my mouth. Mandi is younger than any of my other Donors and her blood is much sweeter than any other. After several minutes, I lick the wound closed and place a kiss to her lips. She goes slightly limp in my arms with a breathy sigh. I can't help but deepen the kiss for just a moment; just until I feel her respond, then I pull back. She blinks at me. "I thought you were going to feed from me," she says, a dreamy smile on her lips.

"I did," I reply, smirking a bit at the way her cheeks turn pink when she realizes just how closely I'm holding her.

Dean chuckles. "You did good, Carter. If someone as nervous as her didn't feel anything, you must be a natural."

With a smirk and a shrug, I tip Mandi's chin up with one knuckle and brush a kiss to her lips. "Thank you for letting me feed from you."

"It was my pleasure, Sir," she murmurs and I get the feeling she'd drop into a curtsey if I wasn't still holding her tight against me.

"Go on, now." I send her on her way with a pat to her ass. "Make sure you get something to eat and have some juice." Her blush deepens and she ducks her head and exits the room.

Turning to Dean, I cross my arms over my chest. "Now what?"

He tugs on his cuffs, I'm beginning to think he does that as a stalling tactic, and shrugs. "Feed some more? If you're still hungry, that is." He knows I am. I haven't quite learned how to block certain things, like when I'm hungry.

"Right." A quick glance at Don and Charlie shows they're still oblivious to what's happening.

Eyeing the line of remaining Donors, I tap my finger against my pursed lips, then walk around behind them. If I'm going to practice feeding without the Donor knowing, I can't very well let them know they've been picked, right?

It takes longer than I would have thought to feed from all of them, but finally I'm no longer hungry. I escort the last of the Donors to the door just as a line of wait staff approaches each carrying a covered tray.

Dinner consists of all my favorite things; good food, good wine and excellent conversation. The conversation stays completely casual, without even a hint of something more serious.

It's nice to see Dean so relaxed and open. While Dean does laugh, he just doesn’t do it often and it's very nice to see. He has a beautiful laugh, rich and full and it just invites you to laugh right along with him. I find I can hardly take my eyes off his face all through dinner, even when Charlie grabs my attention by relating a funny story about the first time he met Dean.

I'm having such a good time, that I'm very surprised when Don says it's time to end the evening because Charlie has an early class.

Charlie pouts at his Mate, earning himself s playful slap to the butt and an admonishment to behave or he wouldn't get any dessert. That earns Don a sly look through Charlie's lashes and a promise to behave, at least until they get home.

The drive home is silent, each of us lost in our own thoughts. Despite how casual the evening was, I learned a lot about Dean tonight. I learned he's worth almost as much as God; loves expensive food, wine and clothes; and loves to laugh, even at himself.

Back at home, we slowly undress each other before settling down for the night and slipping into slumber.